Jacob's Ladder Quilt Block

In this video, Bob Benson demonstrates how to make the Jacob’s Ladder quilt block, a simple and visually striking pattern that uses only 5-inch fabric squares. He walks viewers through cutting and sewing both half square triangles and four-patch units, explaining his preferred methods and offering helpful tips along the way. Bob shows how to arrange the pieces so the light and dark fabrics create the distinctive “ladder” effect across the block. The tutorial is clear, easy to follow, and perfect for beginners looking to create a classic quilt design.

Hi, I’m Bob Benson, and today I’m going to show you how to make the Jacob’s Ladder Quilt Block. This block is not only beautiful but also very simple to put together.

The finished quilt block measures 12 inches square, and it’s made entirely from 5-inch squares—perfect for using charm packs or cutting your own. For this demonstration, I used just two main colors, a light and a dark, so you can easily see the pattern come together on video.

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 dark 5-inch squares

3 light 5-inch squares

5 white 5-inch squares

That’s it! Once you’ve got those cut, you’re ready to start sewing.

Let’s begin with the half square triangles. Take one dark square and one white square, place them right sides together, and draw a diagonal line from corner to corner. Sew a quarter inch on both sides of that line, then cut along the center. When you open and press them, you’ll have two half square triangles—easy as that.

Next, let’s make the four-patch squares. There are several ways to do this, but I’ll show you my favorite. Take two 5-inch squares—one colored (I used red because I ran out of blue) and one white. Place them right sides together and draw two lines, each a quarter inch from the center line. This time, unlike the half square triangles, you’ll sew directly on those lines.

Once both seams are stitched, cut the block vertically and horizontally down the middle—right at 2½ inches each way. You’ll end up with four small squares. Press them open (I prefer pressing my seams open, but you can press to the dark side if you like).

Now, pair them up, matching the seams in the middle, and sew them together with a quarter-inch seam. When you press them open, you’ll have your four-patch units.

Once all your pieces are ready, it’s time to lay out your block. Think of it like a tic-tac-toe board. Arrange the half square triangles and four-patch squares so that the colors flow in the same direction across the block.

The key to the Jacob’s Ladder pattern is consistency in direction—those diagonal “steps” should all line up. Your lighter color should create a continuous diagonal, while the darker color forms that classic ladder-like look.

Sew your rows together, making sure your seams align, and then join the rows to complete the block. Give it a final press, and there you have it—your Jacob’s Ladder Quilt Block!

It’s simple, fun, and looks fantastic when you repeat it in a full quilt.

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